A monthly roundup of things worth seeing, buying, reading, and watching. This edition highlights activities in Crescent City, California, a simple barn refresh, wins from the preserving kitchen, six short book reviews, and more.
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Are you easing into fall yet? I’ve started pulling out a few warmer layers for cool mornings, but inside the house I’ve only swapped a couple of pillows and added a few pumpkins to the table. I tend to hold on to summer as long as possible, but the calendar turning to October makes it harder to pretend the season hasn’t changed.
There are plenty of things I look forward to as the weather cools: more baking (and coaxing my sourdough starter back to life), crisp morning air, the first hints of fall color, and the joy of boots and cozy sweaters again. In the garden I’ll be trimming back some of the late-summer bloomers in the sunken garden to make room for fall flowers, and I plan to make another batch of a lightened Three Bean Salad using the second-wind green beans that are producing for a few more weeks.
Below are some of the things I enjoyed last month. I hope the start of this new month finds you enjoying some good things as well.
Good Things List
Things to do in Crescent City, California
We planned a family trip to celebrate Brian’s birthday and picked Crescent City because it offered surf opportunities for him and our daughter. The Airbnb we rented had a wall of windows with a panoramic ocean view that was stunning in every kind of weather.
We spent a week there with our daughter, and our son and his family joined for the weekend. Having never been to Crescent City before, I wanted to share the highlights we loved:
1. Starting with viewing the sunsets. Locals and visitors gathered on the bluff each evening with folding chairs to watch the sky change — a simple, communal pleasure.
2. Walking along the beach each morning with our dog, Jynx. A short two-minute walk from the house brought us down stairs to a quiet beach that often felt like it was ours alone.
3. Surfing. Several nearby beaches offer surfable waves — and even if you don’t surf, watching surfers ride waves is entertaining. The water is cold, so wetsuits are recommended.
4. Visiting the giant redwoods. The drive to Crescent City takes you through impressive stands of redwoods. We hiked several trails in Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, including Stout Grove, which was perfect for kids with large fallen trunks to climb and explore. Parking at the trails we visited did not require a fee.
5. Seeing a lighthouse on an island. At low tide you can tour Battery Point Lighthouse, active since 1856. It resembles a house with a light cupola rather than a tall tower and is a very picturesque stop.
6. Spotting a family of raccoons. Along Pebble Beach Drive near Point St. George we encountered raccoons that clearly expected visitors to stop and feed them — they emerged from hedges and approached parked cars. It was a quirky, memorable sight.
While the town itself is modest, its setting between the ocean and the redwoods makes it a great base for outdoor adventures. There are decent restaurants and everything feels conveniently accessible.
Barn Refresh (in Progress)
One of our outbuildings is affectionately called the barn because it has sliding barn doors, though Brian calls it a shop since he stores tools inside. It needed paint and a few small upgrades, so in September we tackled a refresh to give it more barn character.
We started by replacing old aluminum windows with double-paned vinyl windows salvaged from the farmhouse during renovations. We removed awkward lighting fixtures, patched leftover holes from a basketball hoop, and painted the exterior white to match the house.
Already much improved. Next steps will add wood “X” molding on the doors painted dark green and new exterior lighting: a large black barn light over the sliding doors and a smaller light by the side door. Those touches should cement the barn look — even if it doesn’t house animals.
I’ll share a full post later with step-by-step photos and before-and-after shots once the refresh is complete.
Preserving Kitchen Wins
Late August through September is peak preserving season here in western Oregon. Tomatoes are finally abundant enough to can and freeze, green beans and zucchini are prolific, and hot peppers require immediate attention.
These are the tools and small upgrades that made my preserving work faster and more enjoyable this year:
- Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale. A digital scale is essential for many preserving recipes; it’s more accurate and easier to use than older vintage scales I’ve used in the past.
- Stainless steel glass lid water bath canner. This has been a game-changer for water-bath canning — more efficient and reliable than the old enamel canner.
- Flat canning rack. A compact, flat rack prevents jars from rocking and allows better use of space in the canner.
- Manual food chopper. New to my kitchen this year, it saved a lot of time chopping large quantities of onions and peppers for tomato sauce and freezing. It became the star tool of the season.
Pretty Sink Organization
Keeping sink essentials contained on a small footed wooden tray makes the area look tidy and intentional. I used vintage containers — an old mason jar and ironstone — paired with a dark walnut stand for contrast. Because our kitchen island is visible from many areas of the first floor, a neat arrangement makes the whole space feel more polished.
- A footed wooden tray or stand to corral soap, sponge, and brushes.
- Natural bristle brushes with wooden handles for durable, attractive cleaning tools.
- A coir bristle bottle brush for cleaning mason jars and narrow vessels.
- A walnut scrubber sponge, cut in half to extend its life.
- A pop-up brush and container to keep things tucked away when not in use.
I’ve used Grove products for years for sponges, soap, and detergent and appreciate their reduced-plastic options.
September Books Read
Ghosts, Dolly Alderton. I expected a lighter rom-com tone but found a more somber story exploring family dynamics and dementia. The portrayal of male characters felt one-note to me, which made parts of the book less appealing.
The Late Mrs. Willoughby, Claudia Gray. The second in a cozy mystery series that reimagines familiar Austen characters. I appreciated the author’s sensitive portrayal of a neurodivergent protagonist and enjoyed the developing relationship threads.
Finding Dorothy, Elizabeth Letts. A standout historical novel that tells Maude Baum’s story and her role in preserving L. Frank Baum’s vision for The Wizard of Oz. Rich in period detail and anchored by true-life events, this one may make my year-end favorites list.
Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot Diaries #6), Martha Wells. A shorter, somewhat quieter Murderbot entry set on Preservation Station that reads like a standalone mystery. Still rewarding for series fans.
Menopause Manifesto, Dr. Jen Gunter. A practical resource that covers hormone treatment options and supplements. The tone felt sharp and political at times, so I skimmed sections to focus on the clinical information I needed.
The Earl’s Hideaway, No Ladies Allowed, Esther Hatch. A light, closed-door romance offering a satisfying happily-ever-after. The second book suited me better than the first and delivered the easy comfort I was looking for.
Watching
Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. This film is more challenging than a simple feel-good story. It chronicles a community that opens its doors to many high-need foster children and addresses difficult, honest themes before arriving at a hopeful place. It’s worth watching for its candid, uplifting arc.
High Potential, ABC. A new series we sampled because it was compared to Monk and Psych. The characters, humor, and mysteries have won us over so far.
That’s it for another edition of the Good Things List!
If you’d like to see more of what I’m enjoying, you can check out past Good Things Lists. I’d love to hear what you think — leave a comment with your favorites or recommendations.
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